Commentary: Accusation of China meddling in U.S. internal affairs absurd

BEIJING, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- Washington's recent accusation of China interfering in the United States' internal affairs is an utter absurdity aimed at distracting public attention from its domestic troubles.

This time, Washington is claiming that China has targeted certain voters in the U.S. midterm elections via trade measures.

That is nonsense because it is known to all that China's trade measures against the United States are nothing but a legitimate response to Washington's trade offensives targeting Beijing. China has been forced to fight back, which has nothing to do with U.S. voters or elections.

With Washington imposing additional tariffs on more and more Chinese products, many U.S. industries and districts have been affected, and American families and consumers are paying a high price for their government's actions.

These consequences are of Washington's own making. The alleged "interference in internal affairs" by China is unconvincing when one looks at the facts.

The U.S. smear campaign against China can neither conceal Washington's attempt to shift focus away from its domestic issues during the election season nor achieve the goal of blackmailing China. What's more, it will never deter China from seeking mutually beneficial cooperation with the rest of the world.

Looking back, China has adhered to a path of peaceful development and has been upholding the principle of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs, which has been widely recognized by the international community.

Meanwhile, China is committed to developing friendly cooperation with other countries and building a community with a shared future for mankind. Its Belt and Road Initiative has attracted partners across the world and built up great momentum for peace and development.

In sharp contrast, the United States has been interfering in China's internal affairs concerning Taiwan, Tibet and the South China Sea. It is also crystal clear which country tends to meddle in other countries' internal affairs via military invasions, economic sanctions, culture infiltration or election manipulation.

Forty years into its epic process of reform and opening-up, China now has a huge consumer market and a complete industrial system, with strong innovation momentum and economic resilience.

For China and the United States, both will benefit from cooperation, and suffer from conflict. Waging a trade war against China will not help the United States solve its underlying economic problems, and curbing China's development will not help make America great again.

In today's world, it is an irresistable trend to pursue peace and development through win-win cooperation. Unilateralism, protectionism and anti-globalization are all against the tide of the times and will lead nowhere.

Therefore, Washington should stop its inappropriate rhetoric and provocative behavior, join China in bringing bilateral relations back to the right track and help promote peace and development in the world.